"Wendy," he her midnight ends, "I'm sorry but this is what happens when you defy me. All you need to do, is obey me."

      Watching from afar, Joy stood frozen as she swallowed roughly. She felt her whole body tighten as goosebumps appeared on the surface of her skin. KyungSoo's voice still lingered in her head, making her unable to move out of fear.

      "What are you eavesdropping for?"

      Appearing out of nowhere, Kai stood only a few centimeters away from Joy. Gawking, she backed up into the living room as he stepped towards her, leaving his narrowed eyes set on her own. This isn't normal. This isn't normal. This isn't normal.

      SuHo popped in to join the fun, leaving traces of black dust where his feet stepped, "An eavesdropper, I see."

      KyungSoo smirked as pushed Joy to sit down. She watched them nervously as she saw their eyes turn cold. Feeling every nerve in her body tense up, Joy scrunched up into a ball and wished them away. There was so much I want to do still, she bit her lip, I can't die like this.

      "If you're quiet about all of this," KyungSoo whispered closely into her ear, "I'll give you anything you wish for."

      Joy's lips began trembling furiously as she thought of the horrible things they'd do to her if she wasn't quiet. Maybe they'd chop her up and eat her? Throw her into the depths of hell? It was too painful to think anymore.

      Finding her courage, Joy struggled to make conversation, "A-Anything..?"

      KyungSoo only smiled as he moved his head to meat his right shoulder. His eyes and hers became linked, almost like he had put Joy in a trance. Those eyes that seemed to burn, pierced through her soul and found her deepest desires. As if she knew, Joy immediately looked away;

      "Price."

      Clapping, KyungSoo chuckled deep below his chords, "I knew you were smart."

      "What is it?" Joy could feel the tears that she had been trying to hold in suddenly fall, "My life?"

      "You're quite quick to agree," he smiled from ear to ear as he pointed towards the faint midnight blue girl, "It took her a whole six months."

      "Wh-what did you agree on with Wendy unni?" she looked at her helpless friend and felt furious, "What was it?"

      "Allow me to give you the basics," Kai stepped in and sat comfortably next to Joy.

      "Basics?"

      "He is the Devil, and as you know, the devil is the ruler of Hell." he pointed from SuHo and back to himself, "And we, are his underlings or you could say, higher underlings."

      "What's the difference?"

      "Underlings try to rebel and overthrow our God and Higher Underlings, HU for short, head his every word. We follow him, so long as we exist."

      "She's amazing," SuHo smirked, "That one took forever to take in this information, like a stupid underling."

      KyungSoo glared at him and immediately, SuHo began apologizing for his actions but it was too late. He grunted as the pain seeped out of his shoulder, and forced his body down towards the floor. Clawing at his own shirt, SuHo began twisting back and forth to subside the pain but it was too much for him that his eyes rolled back into his head. Having experienced this scarring event, Joy tore her eyes away from SuHo, who was struggling to get back on his feet.

      KyungSoo took her slim jaw between his thumb and forefinger, and scanned her face once more, "Instead of giving me your life, why not become a Higher Underling?"

      Nodding in agreement, Kai smiled, "Yeah, why not? We could use a messenger."

      "Oh, that's right," KyungSoo let go of her and clapped his hands together, "I don't have a lot of time to report my meetings to the others."

      "That's why we have her."

      The two looked at Joy, who was beaten with no choice but to become a messenger if she didn't want to give him her life. KyungSoo enjoyed watching those who genuinely feared his presence. Just hearing his name, they would freeze up and it was really a sight for him. It was better than being the Devil himself.

      "When do I start?" she said sharply, avoiding their eyes.

      "Woah, hold on." KyungSoo laughed, "You're so eager! I have to go over guidelines first."

      "Hurry up then."

      Kai was about to transport her to the deepest part of Hell for her rude behavior but KyungSoo held up his hand.

      "When I snap, you'll automatically be sent to wherever I need you to go. Once you reach the destination, you must never look at the eyes or speak rudely, like you just did." he put his hand next to his mouth and whispered in her ear with a smile, "Or you'll end up dead."

      "I-Is that all?"

      "Your first task," KyungSoo pointed towards SuHo, "Is to bring him to the healer."

      "That doesn't sound too bad.."

      "Oh, don't be deceived. He's an evil, evil HU."

      "But what do I get in return for this?"

      "I told you before," he snapped his fingers, leaving an echo in her ears, "Anything."

      When she opened her eyes, SuHo was out cold near her feet. The ground below bare feet was burning but it didn't tear through her flesh. The charcoal dust seemed to cloud the skies and only red rays peeked through. Through the darkness around her, a spark of light hit her eye, making her squint. Joy followed this light, and every time she stepped onto the burning floor, it was as if needles were being screwed into her feet. She envied SuHo, who was hovering next to her, for he didn't have to step on this painful gravel.

      Even before Joy reached withing twenty feet of the glowing light, a deep, yet sweet voice leaked out of the darkness and seeped into her ears, making her shiver with great fear. Though it was sweet, it seemed to be covering the evil intentions behind it.

      "Who is there?"

      Afraid, Joy struggled to speak, "I brought SuHo.."

      "You're mumbling, speak up."

      "I-I brought SuHo. KyungSoo sent me."

      "Oh right, the new one."

      Joy mentally scoffed as she felt cheated. It was pointless to have a messenger like her if new traveled this fast.

      "What are you doing? Hurry in, I don't have all day."

      The voice became very impatient with her and pulled her closer with a clap of his own hands. Joy could feel the ground tumbling beneath her, bringing her into the light, where she would meet, the Healer.

      I don't know where I am.

      I don't know if I am dreaming.

      But I hear voices calling for me.

      They are high pitched, and screeching voices.

      Am I dead?

      ...Oh, right.

      I'm already dead.

      --"Wendy."

      This is a new one..

      It's much softer, almost soothing.

      --"Wendy, it's time to wake up."

      Opening her eyes on cue, she was facing the Devil who was the cause of her pain. Cringing in hatred, Wendy turned her face away from KyungSoo as tears started to flow out of her eyes.

      "Oh, oh, oh," he seemed to be having fun, and that made her angry, "That's the face I want to see."

      "Go away."

      "The resentment, the fear," he praised himself, "This is what I am made for."

      Kai came from the kitchen with a box of chicken he had just ordered, "That's weird, Joy isn't back yet."

      Wendy pushed KyungSoo out of her way and shot up, looking towards Kai, "Joy?"

      "Yeah, she became one of us." he smiled, "I quite like it. I get more free time."

      "Wh-what do you mean? I don't understand."

      Shaking his head, KyungSoo gripped her face and turned it towards his own, "You're a real slow one, aren't you? Or is it that you're pretending?"

      Wendy refused to meet his eyes and that made him even more furious with her. KyungSoo had never been so humiliated in his entire reign.

      "Your friend is meeting with my most evil HU's." he forcefully pushed her back with the arm he used to grip her face and onto the couch, "But don't worry, he has a lenient side--"

      "You sent her to Lay?" Tao interrupted as he came down from his nap, "Why couldn't you send Kai?"

      Tao became frantic and paced around in circles, "She's only human!"

      "What of it?" KyungSoo left Wendy and angrily stepped towards Tao, "Was I wrong?"

      Avoiding eye contact, Tao stood still and lowered his tone, "No, I'm sorry."

      Patting him on his shoulder, KyungSoo sighed, "I've been too angry today. I won't take it out on you."

      Tao swallowed the rock that was stuck in his mouth and bowed deeply in appreciation.

      "If you want you, go check up on her. It's past the time that she should be returning."

      Tao looked up at KyungSoo, "Do you think he..?"

      "Definitely not, I told him not to and he wouldn't defy me ever."

      In the blink of an eye, Tao disappeared right before Wendy's eyes. It was odd to see him here at her home but she knew someone must have called him over when she fainted. Kai came over to her side and offered her a drumstick;

      "It's weird how he's so attached. I mean they only met less than an hour ago."

      Wendy cocked her head towards Kai, "What do you mean attached?"

      "After all these years," KyungSoo sat on the chair next to her, joining in the conversation, "That guy, he still has his human feelings."

Author's Note

My sweet and salty pistachios(That sounds very ... wrong? Don't take it that way lmfao)! I know it may seem as if the fanfic is progressing really slowly but I want it to be like this! I don't want something to just pop up all of a sudden without reason! Please bear with me!

감사! ♥